Joy Division Symphony to Be Created by School Children

Posted on May 19th 2010 11:30AM by Chris Cope
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Joy Division singer Ian Curtis is set to be honoured in his hometown Macclesfield by the town's schoolchildren -- who will attempt to recreate his band's music with the help of an orchestra.

To mark the 30th anniversary of his death, young children from the band's hometown will work with the Northern Chamber Orchestra to assimilate Joy Division's music and help compose orchestral versions of their songs.

Speaking to BBC News, the Orchestra's education co-ordinator Helen Quayle said Joy Division's stripped down style will help boost the kid's musical education.

She said, "The style of music is quite sparse and very simple. The kids can understand and take elements of that and write for a string quartet using the same technique."

Alongside the schoolchildren symphony, an exhibition will also take place in the singer's hometown, with notes, letters and set-lists going on show.

The exhibition will run from 29 July to 7 August in Macclesfield's 1813 Sunday School Heritage Centre and is curated by journalist Jon Savage.

Savage said, "This exhibit brings together a wide range of material -- posters, handbills, hand-written documents and other memorabilia -- for the first time."